Monday, 30 November 2015

Swiss oboist, conductor, and composer Heinz Holliger(b.1939) www.colbertartists.com/ArtistBio.asp?ID=heinz-holliger
began his musical education at the conservatories of Bern and Basel. He studied
composition with Sándor Veress and Pierre Boulez and was awarded first prize
for oboe in the International Competition in Geneva in 1959. Many composers, including
Olivier Messiaen, Luciano Berio, Elliott Carter, Frank Martin, Hans Werner
Henze, Witold Lutosławski, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Krzysztof Penderecki, and
Isang Yun, have written works for him.

As a conductor, Heinz Holliger has worked for many years
with leading orchestras and ensembles worldwide including the Berlin
Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw Orchestra, the
London Philharmonia Orchestra, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the Vienna
Philharmonic Orchestra, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the SWR Symphony
Orchestra of Baden-Baden/Freiburg and Stuttgart, the WDR Symphony Orchestra of
Cologne, the Frankfurt Symphony Orchestra, the Zürich Tonhalle Orchestra,
L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the Chamber Orchestra of Lausanne, the
Budapest Festival Orchestra, the National Orchestra of Lyon, and the Strasbourg
Philharmonic, as well as his long standing collaboration with the Chamber
Orchestra of Europe.

Holliger is in high demand as a composer with his opera on
Robert Walser’s Schneewittchen at the
Zürich Opera House receiving great international attention. Other major works
are his Scardanelli-Zyklus, a
150-minute cycle for mixed forces and his Violin
Concerto. On the occasion of Paul Sacher's 70th birthday, Holliger was one
of twelve composer-friends of his who were asked by Russian cellist Mstislav
Rostropovich to write compositions for cello solo.

As well as his Messe
de Nostre Dame, the French composer and poet Guillaume de Machaut (c.1300-1377) composed many motets, ballades,
rondeaux, virelais and lais. Over a ten year period beginning in 2001Heinz
Holliger has written a cycle of pieces, scored for four voices and three violas,
entitled Machaut-Transkriptionen, an
imaginative re-investigation of the work of the Guillaume de Machaut. Note-for-note
transcriptions of Machaut give way to Holliger’s increasingly creative
refractions of the music. Holliger has
stated that his in-depth study of Machaud opened up new vistas for his
compositional activity.

Violists Geneviève Strosser, Jürg Dähler and Muriel
Cantoreggi bring natural harmonics in the opening of Ballade IV für drei Violen. For all its strange sounds there is a
definable link to the harmonies of Machaut. It is quite incredible how these players
weave the delicate harmonies demonstrating just how much Holliger has absorbed
Machaut’s harmonic world.

The Hilliards return for the original setting by Machaut’s Ballade XXVI Donnez, Seigneur bringing a
lovely gentle sway, with fine harmonisation and a high level of accuracy.

In Holliger’s transcription of Ballade XXVI für drei Violen for three violas the music slowly
emerges, overlaying the original with harmonics, a true blending of ideas
separated by over 600 years. The music has a mournful sound as the original
appears to glimmer and reflect through the strange harmonies drawing the ear in
an unexpectedly intense way.

With Holliger’s transcription of Triple Hoquet (nach Hoquetus David) he dissects Machaut’s original to
an extent that the particles seem to reform in an entirely new way. Holliger
speaks of ‘quasi atomising’ the motivic units. Yet oddly one can still sense an
affinity with Machaut without necessarily being able to define why. The music
becomes increasingly more complex with pizzicato phrases, harmonics and edgy
motifs. But equally as it progresses, there are some intensely fine dissonant
harmonies before clearing towards the coda for a settled conclusion. This is a terrific
performance from these three violists.

The Hilliard Ensemble bring a quite spectacularly fine Lay VII für vier Stimmen (for four
voices) where Machaut’s music is spread out into a wider or, in Holliger’s
terms spacialisated array of harmonics. There are some fiendishly difficult parts
to sing with these fine voices bringing some stunningly controlled singing.
Here the 14th c. refracts through a more advanced prism with some
lovely subtle little dissonances, a quite wonderful transcription of Machaut’s
original. Holliger weaves and blends the musical lines, finding some wonderful
textures and sonorities and some quite lovely moments before arriving at a
particularly mellifluous coda but concluding on a dissonance. The performance
is a triumph.

In(ter)ventio a 3 für
drei Violen brings the return of the three violists in this thematically
related improvisation on Machaut’s Complainte(Tels rit au main qui au soir). Here
there are constantly shifting harmonies and moments of complex agitation with spectacularly
accomplished playing from these violists. Later there is a mysterious, slow,
hushed section where the violas slowly rise and fall around each other in a quite
mesmerising passage before slowly moving forward through harmonies that often
shimmer to slowly sink into a hushed coda.

The Hilliard Ensemble come together with the violists
Geneviève Strosser, Jürg Dähler and Muriel Cantoreggi for Complainte (aus:
Remede de Fortune) und Epilog für vier Singstimmen und drei Violen. Here
Machaut’s original Complainte is
reworked as a four part canon over which a ¼ tone three part invention is laid,
weaving strange harmonies out of which little motifs for strings and voices
emerge. Often there are little dynamic surges for voices as the music moves through
some wonderfully unusual harmonies and dissonance. The music falls to a hush
before the voices take the music forward alone, rising to some very fine
passages. A viola quietly joins using harmonics high in its register before the
other violas join to spread out around the voices before sinking to a quiet
coda.

This is a terrific achievement by all these performers.

These are strikingly impressive transcriptions, occasionally
challenging but more often quite beautiful.

The performances could not be bettered. The recording is excellent
and there are useful booklet notes by Andreas Krause and Heinz Hollliger. There
are no texts provided.

I cannot recommend this disc too highly. There are so many
wonderful moments throughout.

Sunday, 29 November 2015

American composer, Jack
Gallagher (b.1947) www.jackgallaghermusic.com
studied composition with Elie
Siegmeister, Robert Palmer and Burrill Phillips. He participated in seminars
with Karel Husa, Thea Musgrave and Ned Rorem and masterclasses with Aaron
Copland, George Crumb and William Bolcom. He holds doctoral and master’s
degrees in composition from Cornell University and a bachelor’s degree cum
laude from Hofstra University.

His works have been performed or recorded by the London
Symphony Orchestra, the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, the Charleston Symphony
Orchestra, the Cleveland Chamber Symphony Orchestra, the Polish Radio Symphony
Orchestra of Krakow, the Kiev Philharmonic Orchestra and the U.S. Air Force
Band of Flight.

His compositions include orchestral works, works for
symphonic band, chamber works, vocal and choral works, instrumental and piano
works.

His debut recording for Naxos www.naxos.com
of his Diversions Overture, Berceuse,
Sinfonietta and Symphony in One Movement: Threnody with the London Symphony Orchestra
conducted by JoAnn Falletta (8.559652) was highly praised.

Jack Gallagher’s Symphony
No. 2, ‘Ascendant’ was composed between 2010 and 2013. In four movements
and lasting just over an hour it seeks, in the composer’s words, ‘…an
expansiveness of discourse possible, perhaps, only to an extended work.
Thematic connections link material among the movements.’

Whoops from brass open the lively Boldly, a bubbling orchestral theme with a fast forward motion. The
music falls to a quieter yet equally forward moving section with many
attractive individual instrumental contributions before gaining a subtly sprung
rhythmic pulse. A second subject arrives, a gently nuanced melody woven through
various sections of the orchestra. Soon
the pace picks up in the strings before swirling through the orchestra with percussion
and brass adding colour as the music rises in dynamics. There are rising and
falling string swirls and a harp arpeggio before quietening as the theme weaves
a tapestry of instrumental detail. Surges of string theme occur before the
music rises in dynamics through a terrific orchestral flourish.

I thought here that I detected a string sequence that
recalls Benjamin Britten of the Sea
Interludes. A quieter section follows, carefully pointed up by percussion before
a repeated motif for brass that is taken forward by the orchestra. A rising brass
motif appears over an increasingly dramatic orchestral layer leading through varying
tempi, moments of exquisitely hushed orchestra with woodwind running through and
of fast, quicksilver orchestral passages. Later there is a slow theme for bass clarinet
soon leading to an exquisite passage for various woodwind. A harp, percussion
and scurrying strings lead on before rising with brass fanfares to a climax.
There are moments of violent syncopated rhythms before the strings and brass
lead on with a rising and falling string motif to the dynamic coda.

A phrase for horns quietly leads to a rhythmic woodwind
theme in the second movement, Playfully. This
is a lovely light playful theme that has a flow and charm but also a depth. Soon
lower strings take the theme forward and develop it, around which a myriad of
instrumental details are heard. There are sudden sharp little woodwind and
brass outbursts before the music rises through a very fine, longer breathed
string melody. Drums add drama as the music increases in dynamics, horns sound
over the orchestra as do other brass and swirling woodwind. A bass tuba followed
by double basses lead on in a quieter passage that is taken by the strings,
through dramatic passages pointed up by drums. A mellow string passage with
rhythmic element is heard before a terrific forward propulsion leads to a
lovely little passage for woodwind and the more subdued coda.

Horns quietly open Slowly
before a gently undulating orchestral theme slowly moves forward with a quite
beautiful orchestral texture and lovely shifting harmonies out of which the
most lovely passages emerge. There is a beautiful tapestry of orchestral sound before
the music subtly gains in flow with a real outpouring of orchestral beauty.
There are some spectacularly fine woodwind arabesques with a plaintive oboe
melody that weaves its way through the orchestral tapestry. Soon a flute takes
the melody, then a clarinet all laid over a lovely string layer. Later the
music suddenly becomes dramatic as drums help develop a swirling passage. The
music suddenly quietens with strings and a harp phrase as woodwind take the
music slowly back to its gentle nature, falling to a slow deep bassoon passage.
Strings lead on with a wonderfully discordant theme around which the woodwind
slowly swirl, through some most glorious orchestral textures as the music
slowly increases in dynamics. Horns and a quieter orchestra bring the gentle
coda.

The marking of the finale, Slowly - Energetically - Fast – Moderately -Fast seems to indicate a bringing together of preceding material. Quiet
shimmering strings open, over which the brass soon quietly bring a theme that soon
leads to a slow, shimmering, rich orchestral passage. The pace picks up in a
fast moving passage before a drum heralds a quieter fast moving string theme
around which an orchestral tapestry is woven. There are many individual
instrumental passages including clarinet, flutes and percussion that appear
briefly as the strings continue to maintain their forward flow. Later there is a
slower, restrained, quieter section for woodwind over lower strings in music
that is full of shifting harmonies. A hushed section for strings and harp arrives
over which flute arabesques appear. Brass intone and drums sound out as the pace quickens, moving
through woodwind then brass passages before the strings move ahead. There is a
rise in dynamics, through a rhythmically syncopated passage over which brass
eventually sound out. Drums pound as the orchestra strides ahead with horns,
swirling strings, woodwind and cymbals. The syncopated string theme re-appears
over which brass and woodwind are heard before timpani thunder out and the
riotous, energetic coda arrives.

This is a symphony of major proportions and content, one of
the finest to come out of America for a long time. Gallagher has a strong sense
of form as well as a real ear for instrumental colour.

Gallagher’s orchestral work, Quiet Reflections (formerly, A
Quiet Musicke) was completed in 1996 and composed for the 80th anniversary
season of the Wooster (Ohio) Symphony Orchestra under its Music Director,
Jeffrey Lindberg. Following Gallagher’s previous work, Proteus Rising from the Sea, the
composer wished to write a work that ‘… aspires to inhabit an entirely
different sound world… endeavours to evoke a sense of longing for past
tranquillity, calm and serenity.’

Tubular bells chime as a horn brings a gentle melody. The
strings take over, soon leading to a woodwind passage where an exquisite
tapestry is woven. Richer string passages appear around which the woodwind flow
through passages of fine introspection with an intensely American sound. There
are little orchestral surges as a lovely woodwind passage weaves its way over the
strings. Later a reflective rich string passage arrives before the music slows
and achieves a lighter string texture. Bells toll again as a horn overlays the
orchestra and rich strings lead with woodwind and tolling bell to the quite
wonderful, hauntingly beautiful coda.

This is a most lovely work. JoAnn Falletta draws first class
performances from the London Symphony Orchestra who receive a very fine,
detailed recording that reveals all of Gallagher’s fine orchestration.

There are excellent booklet notes from the composer.

This excellent new disc should gain many new admirers of
Jack Gallagher’s music.

Sir Charles Hubert
Hastings Parry (1848-1918) was a huge figure in British music around the
end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries. In
addition to his role as Director of the Royal College of Music and his popular choral
works, Jerusalem, I Was Glad and Blest Pair of Sirens his output encompasses, a large number of
other choral works, orchestral works including five symphonies, one completed
piano concerto, church music, music for the theatre, chamber works, piano
works, organ works, and an impressive number of songs.

A major part of his song output consists of twelve sets of
the English Lyrics, written between
1874 and his death in 1918. Somm Recordings www.somm-recordings.com have begun an undertaking to record all of
Parry’s English Lyrics in three volumes.

Arranged to provide a varied recital this new disc opens
with all four songs from Set 1 (1881-85)
commencing with My true love hath my heart
a setting of a poem by Sir Philip Sydney that brings a beautifully expressive
Susan Gritton with some very fine accompaniment from Andrew West. Good Night, a setting of Shelley, is a
particularly fine song with lovely rippling piano accompaniment and Gritton
bringing some fine shaping and phrasing. There is a lovely flowing rise and
fall as well as some particularly sweet toned phrases.

Sir Walter Scottprovides
the verses for Where shall the lover rest
that has a beautifully paced piano opening with some lovely long phrases from
Gritton. This is another particularly fine song with nothing routine about this
soprano’s performance, rising to moments of fine passion with some beautifully
pure upper notes. Susan Gritton maintains a strong sense of emotion in Willow Song, a Shakespeare setting,
bringing a lovely fluency.

Set 2 (1874-85) of
the English Lyrics, all Shakespeare settings, follows with a livelier O Mistress Mine with James Gilchrist
providing a fine sense of urgency. There is a more leisurely piano introduction
to Take, O take those lips away with
Gilchrist bringing some fine textures as this song weaves its way with some
beautifully controlled power. With No
longer mourn for me this tenor keeps a fine forward movement as well as a
strong emotional pull with really sensitive accompaniment from Andrew West. Gilchrist
and West give a terrific rhythmic lift to Blow,
blow, thou winter wind, full of expression. Some lovely piano rhythms occur
in When icicles hang by the wall with
Gilchrist beautifully shaping this song.

Three songs from Set
3 (1895) follow, firstlyTo Lucasta on
going to the wars, a setting of verses by Richard Lovelace, with West
providing a real breadth as Roderick Williams brings his rich tones, full of
strength, passion and sensitive control. Williams brings a real feeling to his
performance of To Althea, from Prison,
another Lovelace setting, drawing as much depth as possible from this song. West
provides such a well-balanced accompaniment with spot on precision. Williams
delivers a terrific characterisation to the setting of John Suckling’s Why so pale and wan full of wit and wry
humour.

What fine control and sensitivity James Gilchrist brings to
the fourth song from Set 4 (1885-96),
Weep you no more a quite lovely setting
of an anonymous text, exquisitely sung. Another song from Set 3 follows, Of all the
torments, beautifully paced with a fine flow from Roderick Williams in this
setting of William Walsh.

Susan Gritton returns for the fourth song from Set 5 (1876-1901), Lay a garland on my hearse a slow, sad setting from The Maid’s Tragedy by Beaumont and
Fletcher, beautifully sung, rising in moments of passion and so well shaped. There
is then a slow mournful Why art thou slow
from Set 11 (1910-18) where Roderick
Williams brings a fine gravity with subtle emphases to define the text.

There are five songs from the six that comprise Set 7 (1888-1906) with On a time the amorous Silvy finding
Roderick Williams bringing a terrific characterisation with so many little
subtleties despite the levity of the song. A brilliant performance of this
setting of anonymous text.

Both Andrew West and Roderick Williams catch the fleeting
nature of the lovely song Follow a shadow
on verses by Ben Johnson. Thomas Heywood is the source of the text for Ye little birds that sit and sing. It brings
a lighter style with Williams finding every little nuance and providing such
fine agility.

With O never say that
I was false of heart, a setting of Shakespeare, Williams and West find much
to enjoy, despite its rather Victorian emotional thrust. The lighter Robert
Herrick setting, Julia is lifted by
Williams’ and West’s vibrant and fluent phrasing.

Susan Gritton returns for the sixth song from Set 10 (1909), One silent night of late, a more unusual setting of Herrick where
this soprano brings fine phrasing and suitably youthful characterisation of the
text. She receives a perfect accompaniment from West.

There are two songs from Set 12 (pub. 1920), firstly To
blossoms where Andrew West brings a lovely pianistic flow and Susan Gritton
some exquisitely shaped phases in this fine Robert Herrick setting. James
Gilchrist returns for Rosaline, bringing
a real passion with some beautifully refined phrasing drawing as much as
possible from this setting of verses by Thomas Lodge before a particularly fine
coda.

Next there is another song from Set 5, a Shakespeare setting, Crabbed
age and youth where Susan Gritton delivers the most beautiful phrases, as
does Andrew West. She later brings some very fine higher phrases and moments of
sensitivity.

Under the greenwood
tree is from Set 6 (pub. 1903) with
Roderick Williams bringing a beautifully rich, strong performance of this
Shakespeare setting, finding just the right way to handle such a text.

After these English Lyrics James Gilchrist sings Parry’s
setting of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 32: If
thou survive my well-contended day(1874)
with James Gilchrist bringing a lovely flow with fine phrasing and
beautifully subtle dynamics. Andrew West gives fine sensitive playing in this
beautifully done song.

Gilchrist and West also bring us four of Parry’s settings of
Shakespeare’s sonnets (1873-1882) that were translated into German by Friedrich
Bodenstedt. He brings an urgency, a real ebb and flow to Sonnet 29: When in disgrace, a fine setting. Sonnet 87: Farewell, thou art too dear brings an equally strong
performance with beautiful phrasing, sensitive to every nuance of text. West
provides a lively rippling piano accompaniment to Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer's day as James
Gilchrist brings a real sense of passion and forward drive. Superbly sung.
There is a lovely restraint to Sonnet 30:
When to the sessions wonderfully shaped and sensitively characterised rising
to moments of passion, making a terrific conclusion to this recital.

With a superb line up of soloists and such a very fine
accompanist this series looks set to be a major contribution to recorded
English song. They receive an excellent recording produced by Siva Oke at the
Turner Sims Concert Hall, University of Southampton, UK and there are first
class notes from Parry biographer, Jeremy Dibble as well as full English and
German texts and English translation.

Friday, 27 November 2015

The Byrd Ensemblewww.byrdensemble.com is a
Seattle-based vocal ensemble specializing in the performance of chamber vocal
music. Since 2004, the ensemble has performed medieval, renaissance, baroque,
and modern music on an international stage. They are Artist-in-Residence at St.
Mark's Cathedral, Seattle, Washington State, USA.

The Byrd Ensemble’s artistic director, Markdavin Obenza is
also Director and founder of Seattle-based chamber choir, Vox16. He is an
active singer and has performed with the Tudor Choir and members of the Tallis
Scholars. He is currently the Director of Choral Music at Trinity Parish Church,
Seattle, Washington State.

Now from Scribe Recordswww.scribemusic.comcomes a new recording by this choir of
Music for the Tudors featuring music by John Sheppard, Thomas Tallis and Robert
White.

SRCD7

The Byrd Ensemble brings some finely mellifluous vocal
sonorities to John Sheppard’s (c.
1515-1559/60) Media Vita as the
sopranos rise over the choir. They bring a fine flowing tempo with different
sections of the choir flowing through the texture creating a wonderful musical
tapestry. They provide a really fine control of tempo and dynamic changes,
bringing many lovely touches.

The opening of Thomas
Tallis’ (c. 1505-1585) Videte
Miraculum is beautifully woven as individual voices enter and combine. They
bring an intimate, rather contemplative feel with a gentle tempo. There are some
plaintively beautiful higher voices with this choir allowing each individual
voice to shine and be heard. In the plainchant in Maec speciosum there are some really special textural moments, an
exquisite blend of individual voices.

Female voices glide in at the opening of Thomas Tallis’ Salvator Mundi I before
the rest of the choir join to weave a beautifully nuanced flow. This is as fine
a performance as you could wish for.

Robert White’s (c.
1538-1574) Christe Qui Lux IV opens
with a tenor slowly joined by the other male voices in the plainchant Christe Qui Lux es et dies before the
choir brings the glorious textures of this piece. There is such well controlled
balance of voices as they flow over each other to lovely effect. The
beautifully recurring plainchant is repeated three times throughout before a
final Amen.

The glory of Thomas
Tallis is fully revealed as this choir bring In Manus Tuas with lovely pacing and fine glowing sonorities.

The choir rise, wonderfully in Thomas Tallis’ Lamentations I slowly adding voices, creating a
glorious blend. Again individual voices are allowed to rise and glow revealing
the distinct character of each of these fine voices. They find a lovely tempo before
a soprano sings a lovely Jerusalem,
Jerusalem as the end is reached.

The brief Salve Radix
by an anonymous composer rises
magnificently at the opening before taking a steady flow through its distinctive
harmonies, finely revealed by this choir.

Thomas Tallis concludes
this disc with his Gaude Gloriosa dei
Mater where this choir provide a lovely weaving of vocal textures. Again it
is the clarity of the individual vocal lines that is impressive. They rise up
in certain passages quite gloriously and, centrally, there is a particularly
fine Gaude Virgo Maria for female
voices before a bass adds a fine layer. There are moments when the lower voices
weave a lovely texture and, again later they suddenly rise up wonderfully before
a sustained, beautifully done Amen.

This is an impressive choir that brings many delights. They
are well recorded in the Holy Rosary Church, Seattle, Washington State, USA.
The booklet notes take the form of an interesting conversation between Markdavin
Obenza, Joshua Haberman and Greg Skidmore. The CD booklet is beautifully
produced.

Tuesday, 24 November 2015

Surely one of the finest piano trios around today is the Swiss Piano Triowww.swisspianotrio.chwhose members are Angela Golubeva (violin), Sébastien
Singer (cello) and Martin Lucas Staub (piano).

They have already made a number of major contributions to
the CD catalogue with recordings for Audite of trios by Mendelssohn, Clara
& Robert Schumann, Tchaikovsky and Franck. Earlier this year they released
the first in their series of complete piano trios of Beethoven.

Now from Auditewww.audite.decomes
Volume II in their Beethoven series that features the Piano Trio No.2 in G Major and the Piano Trio No. 5 in D Major ‘Ghost’.

CD and HD Download97.693

This trio bring a beautifully shaped opening to the Adagio - Allegro vivace of Piano Trio No.2 in G Major, Op. 1 No.2 bringing
just the right amount of dynamic stress on the forte and fortissimo chords.
They provide a beautifully controlled rubato before rising into the allegro,
full of brio and spirit, catching Beethoven’s youthful exuberance. These
players bring playing of superb precision, wonderfully intuitive playing with some
particularly fluent passages and incisive but beautifully toned string playing.
They weave a long flowing line right through this movement bringing much
characterful playing.

The Largo con espressione
brings a lovely gentle piano opening, so thoughtfully shaped by Martin Lucas Staub
before the strings enter to provide a gentle, flowing undulating melody, forming
a lovely, intensely poetic vision. There is some exquisite hushed playing as
they bring an often plaintive beauty to this movement with little surges of
stronger emotion. Beautifully done.

There is a fine rhythmic pulse to the Scherzo. Allegro, again beautifully shaped with fine precision
between these players and more of that lovely rubato. There is a real joy in
their playing with a quite lovely trio section and a beautifully shaped flow
throughout right to the gentle coda.

The Finale. Presto
shoots off with some absolutely superb, fast and brilliantly fluent playing.
There are so many fine little string details revealed, some lovely hushed piano
phrases as well as much spirit.

This is a spectacularly fine performance.

There is a brilliantly incisive opening to the Allegro vivace e con brio of Piano Trio No. 5 in D Major, Op. 70 No.1
‘Ghost’ before the music gains a flow, these players still finding all the
stormy quality. They bring some moments
of restrained energy, a feeling that the music is always trying to burst. There is playing of great power, fire and
drive, capturing that Beethovenian spirit with remarkable accuracy between
players. They reveal almost schizophrenic changes between quieter withdrawn
moments and the more fiery passages. There
are some lovely hushed little string tones before rising to peaks of more joy.
It is lovely the way they lift the music in the little climaxes before the most
exquisite piano phrases lead to the coda.

The Largo assai ed
espressivo brings lovely, long drawn hushed string phrases over which the
piano brings its gentle motif before the strings take up the theme, the piano
adding terrific bite and drama. There are passages of lovely, thoughtful, quiet
reflection with a terrific dialogue between players. They build certain
passages superbly as the music slowly and steadily increases in dynamics before
a rather questioning coda.

This trio bring a crispness to the opening of the Presto with lovely little phrases before
taking off, full of energy and power. As they alternate with passages of more
repose they find perfectly Beethoven’s changeable moods, through the most fiery,
brilliantly played passages bringing a real volatility. This is tremendously
impressive playing, bringing some fine sonorities before the resolute coda.

This is another impressive performance.

This Beethoven series promises to be an exciting venture.
The recording, made at the Kunsthalle Ziegelhutte, Appenzell, Switzerland,
successfully used for this trio’s Mendelssohn disc, though having a slight
resonance, is still very good.

Monday, 23 November 2015

Nigel Clarkewww.nigel-clarke.co.uk studied
composition at the Royal Academy of Music in London, UK with Paul Patterson,
winning the Josiah Parker Prize and the Academy’s highest distinction, the
Queen’s Commendation for Excellence. He gained his Doctor of Musical Arts from
University of Salford, UK. Clarke was co-nominated in 2006 World Soundtrack
Awards in the `Discovery of the Year' category.

He has previously held positions as Young Composer in
Residence at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts; Composition and
Contemporary Music Tutor at the Royal Academy of Music, London; Head of
Composition at the London College of Music and Media; visiting tutor at the Royal
Northern College of Music; Associate Composer to the Black Dyke Band; Associate
Composer to the Band of HM Grenadier Guards; Associate Composer to the Royal
Military School of Music; Associate Composer to Brass Band Buizingen in Belgium
and Composer-in-Residence to the Marinierskapel der Koninklijke Marine (Marine
Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy). In 1997 Nigel joined the United States
International Visitor Leadership Program sponsored by the US Information
Agency. He is currently Visiting Composer to Middle Tennessee State University
Bands.

Whilst there has naturally been an emphasis on music for
brass and wind bands, Clarke’s compositional output is varied including
orchestral works, concertos for violin, clarinet and euphonium, chamber works
and piano works as well as music for films.

It is his Music for Thirteen Solo Strings that
feature on a new release from Toccata Classics with the string ensemble Longbow
directed by violinist Peter Sheppard Skærvedwww.peter-sheppard-skaerved.comwho are joined by Sébastian Rousseau
(flugel horn) and Malene Sheppard Skærved (speaker).

TOCC 0325

Parnassus for
Thirteen Solo Strings (1986-87) was written for the ensemble Parnassus
founded by Peter Sheppard Skӕrved and was premiered at the Purcell Room,
London, UK in 1988.

It leaps into action with a flurry of dissonant strings
before a brief pizzicato section. A passage for sonorous lower strings soon
arrives over which the upper strings bring a terrific edgy swirl of sound. The
music builds in intensity before falling to a quieter section with pinpoints of
texture and more swirling string sounds. Clarke creates some marvellous string
sounds as the music moves through quieter moments of delicate pizzicato strings
and anxious lower strings over which higher strings bring light fleeting
textures. Later the basses lead forward in a slower section to which other
strings slowly add some absolutely lovely textures. There are slowly drawn light
high sounds, exquisitely done with some lovely little details as the high
strings conjure strange little motifs. Clarke slowly develops the textures,
increasing subtly in dynamics until reaching a flurry of swirling strings in a tremendous
moment before the music curls in on itself for the hushed coda with lovely
little string phrases.

This is a very attractive work that receives a very fine
performance here.

The Scarlet Flower
for Flugal Horn and Thirteen Solo Strings (2014) was written as a memorial
for Edith Cavell with the solo part acting as the voice of Cavell.

The flugal horn opens with a bright and buoyant theme that
moves around cadenza like displaying some tremendous solo playing before the
strings enter alone to develop the theme with some fine textures. The flugal
horn re-joins as the music soon falls quiet as the opening theme is developed, pointed
up by string accompaniment. The music leads through passages that are a test
for any brass player with some terrific playing from Sébastian Rousseau. Later
there is a hushed section for strings and muted flugal horn providing some
lovely subtle touches. The soloist rises over the hushed strings as he leads
into a mellow flowing section for livelier strings. Eventually the soloist rises out of a softer,
slower string passage for a fast, wonderfully played section. There is a short
section with a rather romantic feel before the music becomes livelier leading
to a lovely section for hovering strings over which a gentle melody is played.
The music falls to a hush before, after a sudden pizzicato outburst, the music
fades.

Nigel Clarke writes in his CD booklet note of the importance
of collaboration. With the next work, Dogger,
Fisher, German Bight, Humber, Thames, Dover, Wight for Speaker, Thirteen Solo
Strings and Sound Design (2012-14) that is especially true. Writer and poet
Malene Sheppard Skærved has provided the text for this work and is the speaker
on this recording. It is performed by Longbow whose artistic directors are Peter
Sheppard Skærved and Nigel Clarke.

It was commissioned from Nigel Clarke and Malene Sheppard
Skærved by Dover Arts Development as part of their War and Peace project, exploring Dover’s history and including
recorded sounds from Dover beach.

The work opens with the speaker, Malene Sheppard Skærved
reciting the words ‘Dābras Dubris – waters – Dufras Douvres Cinque Ports –
Dover Sandwich Hastings Romney and Hythe Dour River ‘There is something special
in the waters…’.’ Around eight minutes in, seagulls are briefly heard behind
the speaker as she reaches the words ‘Captain Webb (an English gentleman) used
breast stroke…’. Soon there are sounds of water trickling out of which waves
and strings are gently heard as the narration concludes leaving just the waves
crashing onto shingle. Gulls, then
strings and the sounds of water lead forward as a gently undulating melody is
heard that perfectly takes the atmosphere of the preceding text. Here Clarke
brings some lovely string sonorities and phrases, so much appearing out of the texture
in this fine string writing. The most exquisitely shaped phrases are conjured
out of the texture by individual instruments before both the textures and tempo
become ever more complex and impassioned. There is playing of superb virtuosity
through which a longer theme can be heard. Eventually the music falls to a
quiet, static section out of which a little violin motif appears that soon
flourishes. Basses rise, up through the other strings as the seagulls and waves
return with quiet static strings phrases. The strings fade leaving the waves
and sounds of water to lead very slowly to the coda.

This is a very fine work which perhaps will only be
prevented from having future performances due to the length of the
unaccompanied text. This would be a great pity given the great beauties that
lie within.

Pulp and Rags for Thirteen
Solo Strings (2012-15) again arose from theWar and Peace project.
The work takes its inspiration from the old, now closed, Buckland Paper Mill
near Dover particularly in its rhythms, sonorities and fingerboard slaps.

Rhythmic fingerboard slaps and hushed vocal sounds open
before pizzicato descending string phrases slowly take over and shards of sound
from the strings can be heard. This is terrific pizzicato string writing and
playing, bringing such variety and forward propulsion, occasionally pointed up
by fingerboard slaps. The music falls quiet
before a faster, furious swirling theme appears leading to passages of softer
whirling string phrases as the music dances and moves around at a pace. There
are passages of rhythmically leaping and buoyant strings before fingerboard
returns and the strings quieten. Hushed vocal sounds are heard before a final
quiet string chord.

This a terrific work that no string orchestra should ignore
when planning a concert

Epitaph for Edith
Cavell for solo violin (2015) is a reworking for muted violin of the flugal
horn solo that opens The Scarlet Flower.
It was first performed at the National portrait Gallery, London, UK in 2015.

Peter Sheppard Skærved weaves some very fine textures as he
takes this piece forward, a rather plaintive melody that, nevertheless, has a
textural strength. It travels through some beautifully controlled, quieter
passages before the hushed coda is reached. This is a particularly lovely and
moving work.

This new release contains some very fine works for strings
played phenomenally well by these players. As a string player himself Peter
Sheppard Skærved extracts the very best form his players. They receive a first
rate recording and there are excellent notes from Nigel Clarke and Peter
Sheppard Skærved.

Saturday, 21 November 2015

Composer, Arthur
Gottschalkhttp://arthurgottschalk.com
has had a varied career in the music world. He was born in California but
raised in the North Eastern United States. He attended the University of
Michigan at Ann Arbor as a student in the Honors College and in Pre-Med. After
two years he switched to music, studying with William Bolcom, Ross Lee Finney,
and Leslie Bassett, receiving a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Composition,
a Master of Arts degree in Music Composition and English Literature and his
Doctorate in Music Composition.

He is currently a Professor of Music Theory and Composition at
Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music where he chaired the department
until 2010. In 1986 he co-founded Modern Music Ventures Inc a company which
held a recording studio complex, a record production division, four publishing
firms, and an artist management division, and for whom he produced records for
PolyGram and Capitol.

In 1998 Gottschalk abandoned these pursuits, in order that
he might devote himself more fully to music composition. Gottschalk's teaching
specialties include music business and law, film music, music theory, music
composition, and counterpoint. As a film and television composer he numbers six
feature films, twelve television scores, and numerous industrial films and
commercials among his credits.

He is a recipient of the Charles Ives Prize of the American
Academy of Arts and Letters, annual ASCAP Awards since 1980, and has been a
Composer-in-Residence at the Columbia/Princeton Electronic Music Center and the
Piccolo Spoleto Festival. He has recently been honoured with the First Prize of
the Concorso Internazionale di Composizione Originale of Corciano, Italy for
his Concerto for Violin and Symphonic
Winds, a First Prize from the Bassoon Chamber Music Composition
Competition, and a First Prize from the Ridgewood Symphony Orchestra. He was
recently awarded a prestigious Bogliasco Fellowship for continued work and
study in Italy.

Having written nearly two hundred works, his music is
performed regularly in Europe, Asia, and Australia and has been recorded by
many record companies. His book, Functional Hearing, is published by Scarecrow
Press, a division of Rowman & Littlefield, and will soon be released in its
second edition.

Phillip Kloeckner tells us in his very useful booklet notes
that Arthur Gottschalk’s Requiem for the
Living uses the traditional Latin text from the Mass of the Dead (Missa pro
defunctis) combined with a wide variety of texts and, indeed, musical styles in
order to illustrate the variety and texture of our common diversity. It is
intended to be a commentary on life whilst re-evaluating the many facets of
death and the afterlife.

The first movement includes the traditional Hebrew prayer
for the dead (Yizkor), the second movement a verse from the Qur’an, the third
the wisdom of Buddha, the fourth Duke Ellington’s conviction about the nature
of the Divine, the fifth words by George Eliot, the sixth Muhammad’s prayer for
light and the seventh movement two American folk idiom, Bluegrass Gospel and
Blues Spiritual.

In eight movements it opens with Introit - Yizkor – Kyrie that leaps up in a dramatic Requiem aeternam before an impassioned
plea from tenor, Alberto Mizrahi ‘God, remember the souls of our beloved…’ moving
around in the manner of a Jewish cantor before the choir bring back the Requiem.
The music becomes quieter as the Kyrie arrives with some finely overlaid choral
voices, Gottschalk showing a very light touch with the orchestra.

Dies Irae - Night of
Power - Rex tremendae brings staccato choral phrases for the ‘Dies Irae,
dies illa…’ often surprisingly restrained in both the choir and orchestra, more
with a sense of foreboding. Soprano, Lauren Snouffer and alto Andrea Jaber
appear bringing a sense of anguish before Snouffer takes the text with ‘Those
who believe in God and the final day…will not grieve’ bringing a sense of hope
and light. The chorus return with increasing passion and drama and later the
ancient Dies Irae plainchant appears more
openly. Gottschalk finds some fine variety in the dramatic presentation of this
section with a magical moment as the alto returns for the final ‘Dona eis
requiem.’

There is a lighter, more buoyant Offertorium - Buddha – Canzonas that opens orchestrally with some
distinctive woodwind textures. The choir enter in ‘Domine Jesu Christe…’ before
soprano Lauren Snouffer enters with ‘The thought manifests as the word.’ The orchestra
then lead on as the choir join with the soprano rising up on ‘And habit hardens
into character.’ Later the choir bring a lovely mellifluousness in ‘Tu suspice
pro animas illis…’ before a terrific coda.

The fourth movement, Sanctus
- Ellington - Benedictus – Hosanna finds the chorus rising out of the lower
strings in the Sanctu, a particularly fine moment. Soon the music finds a
lovely forward flow, beautifully orchestrated before rising up on ‘Gloria.’ The
music then adopts a vibrant jazz style for ‘Hosanna in excelsis’ with bass, Timothy
Jones bringing a bluesy, fast and rhythmic ‘Every man prays in his own language…’
to which the choir respond with an equally racy ‘Benedictus’ with the
orchestral delivering a real big band sound to the coda.

With George Eliot -
Agnus Dei the soprano and alto join for ‘May I reach that purest heaven…’ bringing
a lovely blend of voices before the choir sing the Agnus Dei. The orchestra
bring dissonant and drooping orchestral phrases as the strings swirl and there
is a sense of unease pervading. The music slowly builds in drama and intensity before
finding a more peaceful end with female voices in ‘Dona nobis pacem’

In Lux Aeterna – Mohammad the chorus open
with a beautifully conceived ‘Lux aeterna’ which has a slightly swaying motion.
Bass, Timothy Jones enters to sing ‘O God, Give me, I pray Thee Light on my
right hand…’ followed by soprano, Lauren Snouffer and alto Andrea Jaber, then
tenor, Alberto Mizrahi as they all weave the text most effectively. The chorus
return for the gentle ‘Cum santis tuis aeternum…’ but rising before ‘Requiem
aeternum dona eis, Domine’ and a quiet coda pointed up by harp.

There is a lovely orchestral opening to Gospel - Spiritual - Libera me that soon reveals a gentle gospel
swing. The music soon picks up for a really fast orchestral gospel style
‘Libera me…’ before falling for a gentle lead into ‘Precious Lord, take my hand,
lead me on…’ a spiritual for choir and orchestra that works really effectively.
The orchestra picks up for the choir to enter in ‘Quando coeli…’ again in a
gospel style, full of energy and feeling. There is a slow, bluesy orchestral
passage before the music builds in strength only to lead to a hushed coda on
‘Libera me, Domine’ – a wonderful conclusion.

Brass open in the Fanfare
- In Paradisum weaving some lovely textures with the full orchestra
eventually joining in a spectacularly fine culmination. The chorus enter with
‘In paradisum…’ where there is a breadth of choral and orchestral sound that
brings a visionary quality of something to come before a tremendous conclusion.

The last track in an alternate version of the Introit - Yizkor – Kyrie, with timpani
and orchestra then chorus bringing a dramatic Introit. Tenor, Daniel Mutlu joins for ‘God, remember the souls…’
bringing a lovely flow with the orchestra and later weaving the text in the fashion
of a Jewish cantor. There is a lovely Amen before the chorus continue with
‘Requiem aeternum …’ full of fire and drama before a gentler Kyrie that leads
to a more resolute conclusion.

There are some strikingly wonderful moments in this Requiem.
If there are times when one finds a certain lack of coherence in this work it
is surely because of our natural tendency to be wrong footed by unexpected
musical styles. The orchestra and choir are excellent with the soloists
bringing some effective singing in this varied work. They are well recorded.

Wednesday, 18 November 2015

Violinist Natalia
Lomeikowww.natalialomeiko.com
was born into a family of musicians in Novosibirsk, Russia. She studied at the
Specialist Music School in Novosibirsk with Professor A. Gvozdev, at the Yehudi
Menuhin School in England with Lord Menuhin and Professor N. Boyarskaya, at the
Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music with Professor Hu
Kun.

She has since established herself internationally winning numerous
prizes in the Tibor Varga, Tchaikovsky, Menuhin and Stradivari International
Violin competitions. In 2000 she received the Gold Medal and 1st Prize in the
Premio Paganini International Violin Competition (Genoa, Italy) and the 1st
prize in the Michael Hill International Violin Competition (Auckland, New
Zealand) in 2003. Natalia Lomeiko was appointed a Professor of Violin at the
Royal College of Music in London in 2010.

Since her debut with the Novosibirsk Symphony Orchestra at
the age of seven, she has performed as soloist with many orchestras around the
world under many distinguished conductors. Her recordings for Dynamic, Fone,
Trust Records and Naxos have received an enthusiastic response.

Great care and thought is given by Olga Sitkovetsky to the
opening of the Andante assai of Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1 in F
Minor, Op. 80 before Natalia Lomeiko brings some fine violin textures. These two players develop the music through some
passionate passages bringing intense emotion. Lomeiko provides superb textures
with bold, dynamic piano accompaniment and later some exquisite little rapidly
rising and falling decorations.

There are razor sharp short phrases with pinpoint accuracy from
both soloists in the Allegro brusco where
they find an intuitive response to each other. This violinist provides some
extremely fine tone in the more flowing central section before some intensely dramatic
passages. In the quieter moments they bring some fine poetry with Lomeiko finding
a very fine, spontaneous delicacy.

There is a whimsical opening to the Andante before these players slowly reveal the melody. Lomeiko provides some lovely gentle, rather
withdrawn harmonies, Sitkovetsky adding an equally haunting accompaniment. This
is an exquisite performance of one of Prokofiev’s most lovely movements with a continuous
flow of invention before the strange little coda.

These players launch quickly into the Allegrissimo - Andante assai, come prima with some terrific, free
flowing, brilliantly phrased and shaped playing, really catching Prokofiev’s
rather brittle ideas. They move through passages of relentless development and
flow with some quite stunning playing before returning to the rising and
falling motif of the first movement as the andante arrives before leading to
the resigned coda.

Natalia is joined by violinist Yuri Zhislin forProkofiev’s Sonata for Two Violins in C Major, Op. 56. There is a lovely
sweetness of tone in the Andante
cantabile as Lomeiko enters, soon joined by Zhislin as they weave a lovely
melody together, both bringing a fine tone and some lovely interplay of lines.
Their individual tones complement each other wonderfully, each finding quieter
moments of fine detail.

Short staccato phrases from both players open the Allegro before we are taken forward with
these two players finding a terrific rapport, rising through some wonderful passages
before the coda.

There is a slow, finely paced Commodo(quasi allegretto) which finds these players revealing much quiet,
intense emotion. There are some exquisite higher textures as well as perfect
control and restraint.

They bring much wit and playfulness to the opening of Allegro con brio with fine phrasing as
well as lovely textures and harmonies. There are many moments of exquisite
detail with some lovely little phrases, finely shaped before a lovely coda.

There is a beautifully relaxed, flowing opening to the Moderato of the Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 2 in D Major, Op. 94a,Lomeiko bringing some lovely little
decorations before the music picks up in energy momentarily. The music soon
finds its poise to flow forward, Lomeiko and Sitkovetsky revealing an underlying
disquiet that seems to hide under the quieter passages between the short
outbursts of energy. The music subtly gains in intensity as the movement
progresses before regaining the more relaxed nature for the gentle coda.

A spiky piano motif opens the Presto - Poco piu mosso del – Tempo 1 soon joined by the violin with
Lomeiko helping to push the music forward through some tremendously fluent
passages. These two fine musicians
always find the poetry in this music with Lomeiko providing exquisite violin
textures and sonorities through the gentler, quieter, thoughtful Poco piu mosso del with some rather
quixotic phrases before picking up again with the opening theme to drive
forward, both bringing some fine rhythmic phrases, finding a terrific buoyancy
before the sudden coda.

In the beautifully conceived Andante Lomeiko and Sitkovetsky bring a wonderfully controlled
flow, a subtle ebb and flow, with wonderful phrasing and some subtle
dissonances that are rather fine. The Allegro
con brio – Poco meno mosso – Tempo 1 - Poco meno mosso - Allegro con brio brings
a buoyant, determined theme for violin and piano to which these two bring a
fine rhythmic bounce. They weave some fine phrases around each other as the
movement develops as well as moments of quite lovely beauty, Lomeiko always
finding variety of textures and timbres. They later pick up the pace to move
rhythmically and buoyantly to the coda.

This is another terrific performance.

The poetic side of Natalia Lomeiko and Olga Sitkovetsky is
to the fore in Prokofiev’s Five Melodies
for Violin and Piano, Op. 35 that is on the second disc. There are some
lovely gentle phrases from both violin and piano in the Melody No. I. Andante yet these two players always find the subtle
increases in passion. There is a lovely gentle, forward pulse from the pianist
in No. II. Lento, ma non troppo over
which Lomeiko lays a free flowing melody before briefly picking up rhythmically
and moving to the relaxed coda. They move into No.III. Animato, ma non allegro with a passion before slowing and
finding a gentler nature, reflective and restrained with exquisite violin
phrases and a most sensitive piano accompaniment. There are some lovely violin
harmonies towards the end. They bring some lovely shaping to the delightful No.IV.
Andantino, un poco scherzando, a light and attractive piece with a super
coda. Finally there is a lovely flowing No.V. Andante non troppo that soon picks
up with some spiky rhythms so typical of this composer before finding a flow.
These two players provide a lovely tempo and phrasing before Lomeiko brings the
most exquisite phrases in the quiet coda.

These are absolutely terrific performances from all
concerned. They receive first rate recordings from Andrew Keener made at the Concert
Hall, Wyastone Leys, Monmouth, UK and Henry Wood Hall, Southwark, London, UK.
The booklet notes are confined to a personal view from Natalia Lomeiko.

The one oddity with this release is that the 80’ 54’’ total
playing time for both discs would surely have fitted on one CD. Indeed, the
tracking information on the rear insert shows these works as on one single CD.

However, for all the confusing tracking problems this is a
most beautiful new release that is available from Amazon for the price of one CD.

Since reviewing this disc, distributor's Nimbus have informed me that the tracking information on the rear insert of the CDs will be corrected on all existing stock.

Henri Dutilleux (1916-2013)
studied with Jean (1878-1959) and Noël (1891-1966) Gallon, Henri Büsser (1872-1973)
and Maurice Emmanual (1862-1938) at the Paris Conseratoire where he was later
appointed professor. From early influences of Debussy, Ravel, Roussel and
Honegger he developed his own style in a relatively small output of works that
include two symphonies, orchestral pieces, piano music and a string quartet.

The first part of his Trois
Strophes sur le nom de Sacher pour violoncelle solo was originally composed
on the occasion of the great Swiss conductor, patron and impresario, Paul Sacher's
70th birthday in 1976, following a request by the Russian cellist Mstislav
Rostropovich to write compositions for cello solo using Paul Sacher's name
spelt out in musical notes. Two more pieces for solo cello followed in 1982,
again derived from the notes that spell out Sacher.

Emmanuelle Bertrand produces some remarkable tones and
sonorities as Un Poco indeciso opens,
finding much beauty in the lovely little harmonies that appear. There are some
terrific pizzicato passages and many exquisite details before this piece tails
off beautifully at the end. Rich, dark sonorities open the Andante Sostenuto before this cellist weaves some wonderfully rich,
mahogany phrases, such a fine tone. The fast moving Vivace follows into which pizzicato and many other textural devices
are thrown with Bertrand delivering absolutely wonderful virtuosity combined
with the most exquisite sensitivity to detail before a gentle section with
lovely high sonorities and a vibrant coda.

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
wrote his Sonate pour violoncelle et
piano en ré mineur in 1915, coincidentally only a few months before
Dutilleux was born.

Pascal Amoyel brings a lovely opening to the Prologue. Lent, sostenuto e molto risoluto,
broad and languid before Emmanuelle Bertrand joins with her lovely tone. She
brings fine phrasing with a lovely thoughtfulness. There are some light, fleet
playing from both these musicians as the tempo picks up, leading through some
light textured, quieter moments before the lovely coda. Pizzicato cello opens
the

Sérénade. Modérément animé
with staccato piano phrases. These two artists bring a fine accuracy in this
rather quixotic movement, revealing some particularly attractive little
details. They move quickly ahead into the Finale.
Animé, léger et nerveux providing moments of languid beauty as they extract
so much feeling from Debussy’s score. They bring a lovely ebb and flow and
beautifully judged tempo before a brilliantly fluent run to the coda.

A swish of cymbals opens Énigme
as the cello of Emmanuelle Bertrand brings a motif. There is another swish of
cymbals as well as other subtle percussion sounds as the cello weaves its theme
and the orchestra join. Bertrand delivers some extraordinarily fine playing,
capturing so many details and expressive moments, with moments of fine passion
as well as virtuosic skill. Dutilleux brings some fine colours and textures to
his score before it rises in drama, often with a fine dialogue between soloist
and orchestra. Both the orchestra under James Gaffigan and Bertrand are spot on,
demonstrating fine accuracy. One just has to listen how, later in this
movement, soloist and orchestral strings weave around each other. There are
some terrific slides from soloist before finding the magical hushed coda.

Regard brings a heartfelt
theme for cello as the soloist moves around some finely conceived orchestral
textures, moving through a strange landscape with much beauty. James Gaffigan
draws some fine orchestral playing, both the orchestra and soloist providing a
real ebb and flow. Bertrand creates a magical atmosphere with some exquisitely
controlled phrases as she teases out a real depth of feeling right up to the softly
toned coda.

The cello rises up as cymbals swishes are heard gently in
the opening of Houles. The orchestra
joins to provide lovely points of light before rising to a climax after which
the cello brings some finely wrought phrases, with much orchestral colour revealed.
Bertrand, Gaffigan and the orchestra find all the sudden forward surges of flow
before a wonderfully luminous passage for orchestra. There is more sparkling
orchestration before the music descends to a hush for cello and harp at the
coda.

In Miroirs the
harp picks up, along with a shimmering orchestral layer, to take the movement
on. The cello enters with another fine, heartfelt melody, Bertrand achieving some
fine emotional depth. There is more finely developed and coloured orchestral
sound from Dutilleux, lovely little textures and points of sound from the
orchestra. As the movement develops the cellist brings a lovely tone before
opening out and rising in dynamics to lead into the final movement.

Hymne is fast and
often impassioned, striding forward with the orchestral lines flowing and
bubbling over each other. There is such fine transparency in the orchestra with
Bertrand spinning some terrific phrases before she brings the coda holding a
lovely final phrase.

These are very fine performances indeed. Given that the
comparative recording of the concerto on my shelves is by Rostropovich himself,
this is no mean accolade.

In the first two works the recording is slightly on the
plummy side but certainly brings a warmth of tone. In the concerto, given an
excellent recording at a different venue, there is a more open and transparent
sound.

His much publicised New Four Seasons recording for Sony
Classicalwww.sonymusicmasterworks.comis
sure to delight supporters and annoy detractors in equal measure. What should
not be in doubt is the unique musicianship of Kennedy and his band.

88875076722

Nigel Kennedy puts his own titles against each section of
each concerto in what are effectively arrangements of Antonio Vivaldi’s (1678-1741)Concertos for violin and strings, Op.8 No’s
1-4, The Four Seasons (Le Quattro Stagioni). He has also added linking
sections that he calls Transitoire.

The opening of the first movement of Spring, Melodious Incantation
will come as an immediate shock with electric guitars and a drum setting the
beat before the strings enter with the familiar Vivaldi theme to which the Orchestra
of Life add some subtly unusual instrumental textures. Bird twitterings are
heard as well as a female spoken ‘tweet, tweet.’ Nigel Kennedy proves, as would
be expected, a phenomenal soloist.

Electronic sounds rise as we enter Transitoire #, with a piano joining as Kennedy introduces a
mysterious, shifting texture around a Vivaldian rhythmic motif in this strange
yet oddly beautiful and hypnotic section that leads straight into the next movement, The Goatherd Sleeps With His Trusty Dog
Beside Him . Kennedy weaves a rather romantic version of the theme over
more vibrant string textures of the other instrumentalists bringing a lovely
flow and some lovely decorations.

These musicians flow straight into a brief but beautifully
conceived 4 Transitoire ## before a
rhythmic pounding of hand drums introduces a bright and rhythmic Nymphs And Shepherds Dance. It has a
real swing with some exceptionally fine string playing from both soloist and members
of the Orchestra of Life. There is a fine sweep with some intense textures
developed before a rather mad section of voices and drums. The strings sweep
all aside before a slow contemplative section though the voices, presumably the
dancing shepherds, and drums appear again before the end.

As the first movement of
Summer, Destiny opens it appears
to be a pretty straight version but soon the music suddenly livens up with a
fast and furious section pointed up by a drum and other percussion rhythms. Strange
little instrumental timbres are heard in slower moments with Kennedy creating
some terrific little trills. Eventually the music goes at a terrific rhythmic
pace spurred on by drums. There are some lovely flowing sections where Kennedy
produces the most exquisite tone.

Light drumming taps, electric guitar and electronic
twitterings open this jazz inspired Transitoire
# where strings are subtly heard in long held rising phrases before this
short section fades out.

There are some glorious string textures in Fear, strange yet beautiful as this
movement slowly opens. Soon there is a tremendous outburst before the music returns
to its quieter, slow nature. Further outbursts occur with voices that are more
blended than before. There is some quite
exquisite string tone over a piano and bass rhythm before a further outburst
with drums and we are led into Transitoire
##. This brings a gentle, hushed string line over accompanying piano chords
as it moves forward to the next movement.

His Fears Are Only Too
True brings sudden loud, frantic and incisive string phrases of Vivaldi’s
own creation but with more subtly unusual instrumental textures. These
musicians produce some terrific sonorities and, indeed, volume. They are soon
interrupted by vocal sounds and rather strange electronic noises. Despite all
the somewhat eccentric sounds it is hard not to get carried away with these
players.

The opening movement of Autumn,
The Peasant Celebrates the Rich Harvest
brings a jazz trumpet and drum complete with faux Louis Armstrong growls before
the strings weave Vivaldi’s music around the trumpet tune. Here Vivaldi’s music
is varied and pulled around more than anywhere with Kennedy bringing some
extraordinarily virtuosic moments. Later there is a slow section in which these
performers create a quite different sound world, distant, melodic, slow and
flowing – before the fast and furious music returns.

Pizzicato strings introduce Transitoire #, moving around the sound stage before Kennedy’s solo
violin gently rises over the other instrumentalists and electronic sounds
before gently, quietly and imperceptibly moving into Pleasure of Sweetest Slumber where these players bring an almost sacred atmosphere
with electronic organ textures underlaying the strange sounds through which
pizzicato strings move. Kennedy weaves some exquisite sonorities through the
haunting background before flowing quietly into the next section.

Transitoire ## opens
with a held chord with constantly shifting textures. Slowly a lovely melody
arises, melancholy and atmospheric, bringing a rather Celtic feel. A trumpet
eventually joins to add a nonchalant jazz accompaniment as some very fine
textures are created between various instruments in this quite extended piece.

A vibrant, heavily rhythmic Horns, Guns, and Dogs brings some quite unusual, slightly nasal sounds
from the orchestra. Kennedy seems to have great fun in his interplay with the
other musicians, moving through a myriad of unusual textures and sounds whilst
still basically observing Vivaldi’s theme. There are sections of wild
electronic sounds before quietening briefly but rising to a terrific coda with
a last shout.

There is a slow pulsing opening to Prolitoire # an introduction to Winter where piano chords are played gently over a sustained string
layer before Kennedy’s violin rises out of the sound before fading and we are
suddenly into the first movement, To
Shiver, Frozen with pounding strings. A piano provides the theme before the
soloist and strings take Vivaldi’smelody, rising up to a tremendously vibrant
statement of the theme. Kennedy is remarkable here creating some subtle and
unusual textures.

There is a fast flowing, more conventional The Rain Outside yet with textures
always bringing a different feel. Kennedy finds a lovely sweep, with such a
glorious tone, beautifully controlled playing.

Transitoire #
opens gently with drooping and shifting strings phrases, gently moving into the
next movement, Walk on the Ice with
no obvious transition as Kennedy weaves a lovely little motif that suddenly
turns into Vivaldi’s theme, brilliantly done. It has a fine rhythmic pulse and
lovely string textures, a real Vivaldian beauty, interrupted by sudden faster
passage. Eventually this violinist pulls the theme around a bit but always
musically and there is a real vibrancy towards the coda.

Nigel Kennedy and his fellow musicians conclude with The End where pizzicato strings move
quickly around in this brief final section.

It is obvious that much care and creativity has gone into
these performances, as well as much sheer enjoyment. These musicians throw
their all into their playing. Wayward, unconventional and often wild these
performances may be but they are so tremendously musical and infectious. My one
problem is merely that the vocal interjections work less well on a recording
than in a live performance.

About The Classical Reviewer

The Classical Reviewer has been involved in music for many years, as a classical record distributor, as a newspaper concert reviewer and writer of articles relating to music as well as reviewing for Harpsichord and Fortepiano magazine.

He assisted in the cataloguing of the scores of the late British composer George Lloyd and has co-authored a memoir of his friendship with the composer.

Having a particular interest in British music, he regularly undertakes talks on Elgar.

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